The Narrative Development of a Biblical Image in Folklore

Abstract

In his epistle to the Colossians 2:14, St. Paul describes Adam’s fall by
means of “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us”, which was nailed
to the cross by Jesus Christ. The handwriting, the physical existence of which
has not even been discussed in religious literature, has been transformed into
folklore in a concrete form and developed as a narrative: Adam makes a written
deal with the devil, and later Jesus Christ tears it to pieces. This theme can be
found not only in oral folklore but also in iconography: on the frescoes of the
resurrection, Jesus Christ is sometimes represented holding a torn scroll. The
given paper analyses the above-mentioned theme in the context of narrative
development of Biblical literary image in folklore.